Page 46 of Marked

18

After I said goodbye to Sley, I continued home. The wind whistled through the leaves but thankfully no rain. I loved the rain, but we saw so much of it in the fall, winter and spring, that I always worried I’d start to grow mould.

I exited the woods to find Ace and Paul sitting on my front step. Biting back a groan I stopped short. What did they want now?

When the men saw me, they both stood.

Nala whined and broke off into a gentle lope to enter the tree cover. She often did that to take care of business or to stretch her legs. She’d be back.

I turned to Ace. "Didn’t you see enough of me earlier?”

Ace had the decency to look away, his jaw clenching.

My brother looked back and forth at us, his brow furrowing more and more with each snap side to side.

“I don’t even want to know what that’s about,” Paul said, finally breaking the silence. He held out a scroll bearing Queen Titania’s seal. “Here.”

Snatching it from his hand, I tore through the seal. As I quickly scanned the contents, my stomach dropped. The queen commanded me to investigate the hunters and track down their origins. Queen Titania’s orders were not unreasonable, and I already planned to do exactly that. But I still wanted to toss the parchment into the nearest fire. Why did she feel the need to put the orders in writing? Did she think I’d let this go? The only reason I hadn’t marched right back into the forest was because Orion told me to wait for Nala to heal.

I shook away the annoyance and focused on my rage. Though Nala wasn’t a hundred percent, she had recovered quickly since her healing session with Orion.

I needed to look at this a different way. It was finally time to seek out those responsible for hurting my familiar. Shaking away the annoyance from the letter, fiery determination ignited in my chest. The hunters might’ve died in their futile attack, but there could be others like them lurking in the shadows, stealing our food and supplies. And if they existed, I’d find them.

The lack of rain worked in my favor—the tracks would be easier to find and follow.

“Do I have to take him with me?” I jerked my chin in Ace’s direction. The orders hadn’t technically specified the inclusion of a partner.

“Of course,” Paul said. “Think of it as a great bonding opportunity.”

“Bonding?” Phaaning unlikely. The pervert watched me bathe.

And I’d liked it.

Paul shrugged. “Training opportunity, then.”

I glared at Paul, debating whether or not I could convince him to change his mind. But it wasn’t really up to him. The queen might’ve left out the mention of Ace in this order, but her previous letter had been clear. I couldn’t disobey her command.

“Fine,” I reluctantly agreed. “But he stays out of my way. This is my investigation, and I won’t have him slowing me down.”

“I’m not incompetent,” Ace growled. “I won’t get in your way.”

“We’ll see,” I said.

Paul smirked and left without a goodbye. He was entirely too amused with the turn of events, and I didn’t appreciate any of it.

“Come on,” I said.

Ace trailed behind me as I stepped into my cozy cabin. The lingering smell of last night’s fire mingled in the air with glue and leather. As I rummaged through my belongings to gather gear for our hunt, Ace wandered around the living room, his keen gaze scanning the titles on my bookshelf.

Nala scratched at the door and Ace took a break from studying my collection to let her in. She sauntered past to make her way to me. After a few aggressive bag sniffs, she flopped down at my feet.

Ace waved at my bookshelf. “You read a lot of romance.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“It’s a little unrealistic.”

I shrugged and shoved bandages in my carry bag. “That’s how I like my men.”